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Walks wreck Xpress in 4-3 loss to Cutthroats

By David Wilson

Journal-Advocate sports writer

Posted:
06/15/2014 08:53:35 PM MDT

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Sterling Xpress pitcher Steve Sarcone delivers a pitch during a game against the Northern Colorado Toros earlier this season. Sarcone pitched eight-plus innings against the Casper Cutthroats on Friday, but got a no decision as the Xpress lost 4-3.

It's often said that one of the best characteristics about baseball and the amount of games that make up a season is that a shot at redemption is usually only 24 hours away.

The Sterling Xpress found themselves in a situation to do that on Friday, just one night removed from a disappointing 22-3 road loss to the Casper Cutthroats. But when you're in a rough patch like the one the Xpress currently find themselves in, getting out of it isn't easy.

They found that out in excruciating fashion on Friday.

Sterling carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but after three walks sandwiched around an infield single made the score 3-2; Casper added an RBI sac fly, and a walk-off single by Casper's Luke Reinschmidt off of Xpress closer Makensy Larsen to steal a 4-3 win for the Cutthroats, while sending the Xpress to their fourth straight loss and sixth defeat in their last seven games in the process.

The loss, which dropped the Xpress to 7-6 overall, is especially difficult to take, considering Sterling starting pitcher Steve Sarcone was brilliant through his first eight innings of work.

Sarcone finished with eight-plus innings pitched, two earned runs on six hits, five walks and three strikes in his no decision, while Larsen gets the loss and first blown save of the season.

Offensively, Sterling out-hit the Cutthrats 11-8 and had eight different players tally at least one hit on the night, led by outfielder Brooks Benson, who finished 3-for-4..

Bodie Cooper got Sterling on the scoreboard in the first inning with an RBI double to score Jeremy Giles. Then, in the sixth inning, Benson drilled the go-ahead RBI double to score Mitchell Ho.

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One batter later, infielder Tyler Blood followed suit with the team's third RBI two-bagger of the night to bring in Benson and extend the Xpress lead to 3-1 at the time.

Sterling dropped to 7-6 overall with the loss, giving it at least one victory against each of the three other Mountain Collegiate Baseball League teams.

The Xpress will try to salvage one game in the four-game series at 6:35 p.m. tonight when they play in what will be the final game of a brutal 11 games in 11 days stretch.

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